Ohmo

Way back when the case was first profiled, I seem to recall there NOT being much focus on the daycare as a whole. It certainly sounds like there were issues with that place before Ben's death. In the earlier episode, I also seem to remember Melissa's sister saying the family knew Melissa had some cognitive challenges. I also recall a family member drove her to the police station. I don't think her entire family had a grasp of how to interact with police, and I wondered if her parents might have some intellectual disabilities as well. At the same time, I also feel sorry for Ben's parents. I can see why they are fighting against clemency. The thought of no one being held accountable for their son's death must be difficult to contemplate. I think the environment killed Ben. Both Brenda and Melissa seemed inadequately trained for caring for young children, and it cost Ben his life. I don't think Melissa hurt Ben, but I don't think Ben's parents are bad people for opposing clemency either.

1/18 episode was an update about Melissa Calusinski, the Illinois day-care center worker convicted of murdering a 16 month-old boy. Most of you will remember this case. We've talked about it. She gave a coerced confession to the police after being interrogated without an attorney for nine hours. She's now asking for clemency from the governor of Illinois. This case is sad all around. I believe Melissa's confession was coerced, and she didn't throw Benjamin on the floor. However, the episode said the day care center closed soon after Benjamin's death, and it faced allegations of not being transparent with families about injuries of their children. A worker named Brenda resigned the day after Ben had bumped his head months earlier. Melissa's attorneys argue this earlier injury is what led to Ben's death months later. Ben's parents are opposed to Melissa's petition for clemency. I feel for them. They believe Melissa threw Ben on the floor, but I wonder if their actual feelings are that the day care center caused Ben's death, and someone from there has to be held responsible.

To me, that was a failing of the defense, that Melody didn't say she and Scott acted together. I don't know if they did or not, but with Melody putting ALL the blame on Scott, that made her look cold and cunning. People may have a hard time believing Melody acted alone, but it's also difficult to believe she was completely innocent.

Prominent Attorney's Wife Sentenced to Life in Prison After Being Found Guilty of Murdering Him, Burning His Body ETA: https://www.courttv.com/title/melody-farris-defense-attorney-discusses-jury-feedback-next-steps/ Court TV interview with Melody's defense attorney

Gary Farris While I do think the son Scott was sketchy, I think Melody killed Gary. Melody actively and publicly accusing Scott, her own child, gives a window into her own thinking. Her declarations go beyond simply being ticked off at Scott for mooching off his dad. She's ready to throw Scott under the bus for murder. Scott may have issues with money, but I don't get a "cunning" vibe from him. If Melody was willing to accuse Scott, I buy that she's also manipulated her youngest daughter and used that piece of equipment to move the body. Gary threatened to cut Scott off, but he hadn't actually done it yet. I'm surprised Gary didn't have a will. Maybe because he wasn't as cash rich as he appeared?

I'm a football fan, and I've known Jesse in the football sense for a while. That said, when he was calling the game, I thought it was weird that he wasn't talking about baking. Ha!

I will say I'm glad they're awarding $1,000 prizes along the way. It makes the rest of the competition mean something. Ever since FN's insistence that the $25K is only about the last bake, they've used that to not be responsible for a cumulative competition even though that's what the show is. The judges give cumulative suggestions, compliments, and feedback. "This is the best thing you've baked in the competition" Courtney's annoying "Lady Flavor" didn't come as a result of one bake either. She got it over a period of time (cumulatively) The smaller monetary prizes make the rest of the competition make a bit of sense. Otherwise, if the prize only reflects the last bake, there's no reason to have the eight weeks at all. Steven, Rafi, Natasha, and Rolf could have been picked out of a hat, walked in off the street, and told to build a gingerbread house in 5 hours for $25K without the preceding 7 episodes existing at all. I think the small prize amounts are at least recognition by FN that they have to make all of the other episodes matter in some way. It's a sideways nod that the competition is cumulative even though FN doesn't score it that way.

And Matt wasn't even being asked to contribute. Melissa and her family were completely ready to raise the baby without involvement from Matt. The fact that that wasn't good enough, that he didn't want children to even exist (but still wanted to have sex) is utterly cold and mind-blowing to me. Matt had the opportunity to be a deadbeat parent. Melissa's mother said in court that all he had to do was walk away, and that still wasn't good enough for him. He murdered a child simply because that child existed, even though he was not being made to be responsible for that child. I know there are debates about the unborn, but Melissa was due to be induced in 2 days. At that point, it's a baby who just happens not to be outside the womb yet.

I streamed all of HBC spread over three sittings. I was fine with Steven winning, but I liked the concept of Rolf's house, even though the execution was lacking. I find gingerbread houses boring, so the different architectures made things interesting for me I've realized that what I'd really like to see is a competition series for the high-intensity bakers---people like Romy, Javier (I think that was his name from SBC), German, Carolyn, Rafi, and Rolf. FN always seems to put these bakers in competition, but they never seem to win. Home bakers are fine. I have nothing against them, but I'd like a competition where people like the above compete, they make desserts that look good enough to put on a holiday card, they taste good, and they'd probably be an expensive special order at any bakery, but they'd be worth it. I agree that 5 hours was enough for the challenge, but I'd love to have seen what they could have done with 10 hours spread over 2 days.

That road runs both ways. He was also friends with her for 8 years. If he were THAT insistent on not having children exist at all, then he needed to not be sleeping with women. If he chose to do that, then HE needed to be very aware of his own birth control. I don't see this situation as being Melissa's issue at all. Matt was the one with issues so strident that he didn't want children to exist. Melissa wasn't asking Matt to be a father. He was completely free to walk away. She was providing him with the ability to be involved if he changed his mind. Being an absentee parent is not unheard of in today's society, and Melissa was prepared for Matt to be that. However, she was not prepared for him to be absolutely psycho about the existence of children. Not him raising the child, but the child simply existing even if he had nothing to do with that child. Melissa didn't sleep with herself. Matt participated. He was the one asking Melissa to have an abortion. He wanted to have the sex, and then ask another person to handle things his way. It doesn't work that way. His point of view was extreme. If he really felt that way, it was on HIM to act accordingly (not have sex), so that he could be CERTAIN he didn't father children. It wasn't on Melissa to be "on the lookout", Matt to enjoy sex, and then put the responsibility for the sex on HER!

I understand what you're saying, but in this day and age, it's not uncommon for women to raise children without the biological father involved. She had family support, and that's what she and her family were planning to do. Yet, he didn't want the child to EXIST even if he weren't involved in the baby's life. That's a serious level of cold.

And we go from Alyssa's case (which was horrifying) to Melissa's case with Matt Plote. She wasn't asking him for anything. He was completely free to walk away. Instead he murdered both Melissa and Barrett simply because he didn't want anyone to know he had fathered a child/

Mina Starsiak Hawk Explains Why Brother Tad is Missing From New ‘Good Bones’ Episodes

I know the mention of money would likely be publicly indelicate, but I wish this fundraiser could be broadcast on FN. Many TOC chefs are going to work the event, and Shirley's been a TOC competitor. Some fans of TOC might enjoy seeing Shirley's fellow chefs rallying around her.

I actually thought Karen came across as likeable, but that's just me. She wants to do her own thing with her own money, so hey, go for it. She said she's been doing some lawyering, so maybe she's still making some money. What I thought was REALLY odd was how she talked about her grandchildren. She mentioned her son's four children and Kelsy's new baby---five grandchildren in Indy with no mention of Jack or Charlie. That feels like something that Mina would dictate, not Karen. I don't get the sense that Karen would want to exclude any of her grandchildren like that. Whatever beef Mina has with her, it must be quite serious.